Yieldable contouring body supporting structure



April 21, 1964 R. J. ZASTERA ETAL 3,129,441

YIELDABLE CONTOURING BODY SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed April 29, 1963 3 SheetsSheet l INVENTORS Ap i 1964 R. J. ZASTERA ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1964 R. J. ZASTERA ETAL 3,129,441

YIELDABLE CONTOURING BODY SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed April 29, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 3,129,441 Ice Patented Apr- 1964 3,129,441 YIELDABLE CONTOURING BODY SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Rudolph J. Zastera, Glen Ellyn, William R. Weir, Rolling Meadows, and Henry M. Pernini, Chicago, Ill., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,675 7 Claims. (Cl. -233) This invention relates to body supporting devices and, more particularly, to yieldable self-equalizing body supporting means for supporting a human body in prone condition and conforming to the contour thereof in contact with the supporting means, having for an object the provision of a horizontal y-ieldable supporting structure which will conform readily to the contour of a human form placed upon it.

Another object is the provision of a horizontal, yieldable supporting structure which will distribute the weight of the supported body over a maximum area in order to minimize the unit skin pressure.

A further object is the provision of a yieldable horizontal supporting structure for a human form in supine or reclining position which will provide maximum comfort for a person resting thereon, for instance, during appreciable vertical acceleration of the supporting structure.

A still further object is the provision of a bed or couch like structure having a human body supporting top surface having transverse multiple supporting means and elastic means connected thereto below the top surface, for yieldably controlling the transverse contour of the multiple transverse supporting means, whereby to provide a longitudinal and transverse vertically yieldable supporting surface for conforming to the shape and contour of a human form resting thereon to provide a uniform and maximum form conforming supporting area, for the same, especially during appreciable vertical accelerations of the structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the horizontal bed or couch-like supporting structure incorporating the invention, portions of the overlying pad being broken away to more clearly disclose the cooperating net structure, a portion of the upper surface of the structure being also broken away to show the bottom reaches of the supporting wires and the braided fabric jacket through which and to which the spaced elastic members which connect the cross wires extend, the dotted lines indicating the position of a human being when resting supine on the supporting surface.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the supporting structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken about on the plane indicated by line 33 in FIG- URE 2, illustrating a human being resting thereon in dotted lines.

FIGURE 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal vertical sectional view taken about on the plane indicated by line 44 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detail top plan view of a portion of the supporting structure on an enlarged scale, adjacent one of the upper side rails.

FIGURE 6 is a similar enlarged plan view of the top supporting surface adjacent the longitudinal center thereof to show the cooperating net structure with the supporting cross Wires.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view, showing in section a portion adjacent the edge of the pad and the central portion at opposite sides of the longitudinal center.

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes an upper rigid supporting frame generally having transversely spaced tubular upper side members 2 and 3, preferably cylindrical in cross section, connected in spaced relation by tubular or cylindrical end frame members 4 and 5, thus forming a rigid rectangular frame.

Supporting vertical leg members 6 are fixedly secured to each of the four corners of the frame 1 and extends downwardly, being fixed at their lower ends to the bottom or supporting lon itudinal side rails 7, these also being spaced from each other by transverse spacing rails or bars 8.

Extending longitudinally at a materially-spaced distance below the tubular upper side members 2 and 3, and adjacent the supporting rails 7, are the tubular, preferably cylindrical, lower side rails or bars 2a and 3a, welded or otherwise secured to the leg members 6 at 9.

Parallel strands of cross wires such as, music (piano) wire, or of fibrous or plastic material, indicated at 10, extend in closely-spaced parallel relation transversely across the top surface of the frame structure, as shown, being spaced apart approximately six to twelve strands per inch from the end member 4 to the end member 5.

The ends of the cross strands or wires Ml pass over the round upper side frames 2 and 3, as indicated at Ella, and around the lower round side rails 2a and 3a extending toward each other as indicated at lllb, the opposite extremities of the strands, indicated at 10c, being connected to the opposite ends of multiple strands of soft rubber, indicated at 1:1, enclosed in a jacket 12 of braided fabric to form an extensible fascine or binding, thus joining the two ends of each strand ill to form an endless loop around the two upper and two lower round side bars or tubings 2, 2a and 3, 3a. The individual strands (or loops) are thus free to slide around the bars, extending the elastic portions 11 thereof, depending upon downward pressure on the strands applied between the spaced side rails 2 and 3.

The braided jacket 12 covering the elastic elements 11 serves as a safety and deflection limiter, not only maintaining the uniform spacing between the lower portions 10b of the loops and the elastic elements 11, but limits the amount of elongation permitted to the elastic elements 11. The opposite edges of the fabric braided jacket 12 are preferably secured to the ends of the strands it), so that when this limit is approached, or reached, further load on the elastic strands 11 is taken up by this knitted fabric jacket :12, thus protecting the rubber strands or connecting elements 11 against damage or possible breakage.

In order for the upper supporting surface of the device to conform to the contour of the body being placed on it, indicated at 13 in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, the individual closely-spaced parallel transverse strands or wires rill must be relatively free to move apart or closer together as required, but, in addition, the strands must be prevented from pinching the skin or clothing. In order to accomplish this, a relatively thick foam rubber sheet or pad 14 is secured to the top supporting surface of the closely-spaced parallel strands 1b, to hold the pad in position between the side and end frame members 2, 3 and 4', 5 and tend to stabilize the unloaded strands 10 in parallel relation. This may be accomplished by bonding the strands ill to the lower surface of the pad 14 in any suitable manner, this permitting the individual strands to adjust themselves according to the portions of the load impressed on them between the side frame members 2 and 3, as well as accommodating the slight transverse separating adjustments between the strands when certain of the strands it! are depressed a greater amount than the adjacent strands.

As seen in the drawings, instead of the foam or sponge rubber pad 14 being disposed directly on the top surfaces of the adjustable supporting strands or wires 10, a net structure, indicated at 15 (generally) is interposed between the supporting strands 1t and the foam rubber pad 1 3,. The net 15 utilized is of the fishnet type having approximately one-quarter inch square mesh, indicated at 15a, the net being of sufficient width to accommodate approximately one-half of the circumference of the body 13 to be supported.

The squares 15a of the net 15 are disposed, as shown, particularly in FIGURES 5 and 6 at 45 relation to the supporting strands 19 with these strands passing through or under the corners of the squares of the mesh.

in the central area of the net, a little narrower than the supporting frame, the parallel strands 19, as indicated at 16, are woven through (or secured to) the knots 1'7 of the net diagonally to the net meshes.

Outwardly from this central area (where the strands pass through the knots) the parallel strands merely pass under the net, however, the side edges of the net indicated at 18, are fastened to the strands at In this manner, the strands are free to slide over the tubular side members 2 and 3 of the frame 1 without damaging the net. Under load, the square meshes 15a are free to warp into diamond shapes, this permitting limited longitudinal movements of the parallel strands and fulfilling the requirement for adequate contouring of the upper surface, from side to side, as well as from end to end.

A pad of one-half inch of soft foam rubber, as previously indicated at 14, is placed over the net 15 and secured, at least at its edges, to the net structure or to the strands, to add to the comfort of the support.

When a body is placed upon a body support of the type just described, the elastic elements 11 elongate under load, permitting the net element 15 to sag and thereby developing a desirable wrap-around the lower (or under) portion of the body. Each parallel strand 1t sags separately according to the weight of the transverse segment of the body that it is supporting. Any deliberate or forced change in the body contour is reproduced by the resiliency of the body supporting structure.

The braided jacket 12 that covers the elastic elements 11 serves as a safety and deflection limiter. It limits the amount of elongation permitted to the elastic elements. When the limit is reached, further load increases are taken up by the jacket, thus, as previously mentioned, protecting the rubber strands from damage.

For the purposes of exemplification, a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described to the best understanding thereof. However, it will be apparent that changes and modifications in the arrangement and construction of the parts thereof may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A body contour conforming structure comprising an elongated rigid rectangular frame having verticallyspaced pairs of parallel elongated round side frame members fixed in horizontally-spaced parallel relation to each other, a plurality of closely-spaced side-by-side individual substantially nonstretchable strand members extending across the tops of the upper round side frame members in parallel relation to each other, perpendicular to the axes of said upper round side frame members, substantially from end-to-end thereof, said strands then extending downwardly and around the lower parallel side frame members and toward each other with their ends terminating in materially-spaced relation to each other at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the elongated rectangular frame, an elongated rectangular resilient foam rubberlike pad member supported on said strands with its sides and ends disposed in adjacent parallel spaced relation to the sides and ends of said rectangular frame, a rectangular jacket of braided fabric disposed between the opposite extremities of all of said strands and secured thereto to limit separation of said extremities upon downward displacement of said strands between the upper round side frame members, and individual rubber-like elastic connecting strands under tension woven in said knitted jacket, each having its opposite ends connected to the opposite extremities of each of said nonstretchable strands for maintaining a predetermined tension on each of the nonstretchable strands between the upper round side frame members.

2. A body contour conforming structure comprising an elongated rectangular frame having a pair of verticallyspaced elongated parallel round side members at each side thereof in fixed horizontally-spaced parallel relation to each other, a multitude of uniform closely-spaced sideby-side nonstretchable strands extending across the tops of the upper round side frame members in parallel relation to each other between said top round frame members perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rectangular frame, substantially from one end of the frame to its opposite end, said strands then extending around the exterior of the upper round side frame members and vertically downward in parallel relation and around the lower spaced round side frames and toward each other in parallel relation, with the opposite extremities of the strands extending toward each other, terminating in materiallyspaced relation to each other between the lower round side frames and the longitudinal central axis of the rectangular frame, a substantially elongated rectangular yieldable jacket of braided fabric connected along its side edges to the extremities of the strands, and individual rubber-like extensible connecting elastics each connected at one end to an extremity of one of said strands and connected at its opposite end to the other extremity of the same strand.

3. A contour conforming bed-like structure as defined in claim 2 in which the connecting elastics are normally under predetermined similar tensions and are secured in said jacket of braided fabric to retain the same therein in similar parallel spaced relation to the aforesaid nonstretchable strands.

4. An elongated body contour conforming bed-like structure comprising, an upper elongated rectangular frame including spaced round parallel upper side rails and transverse parallel end rails connecting the opposite ends of said side rails, vertical supporting legs depending downwardly from the ends of said side rails for supporting said upper side rails above a supporting surface, lower round elongated side rails fixed to said legs in verticallyspaced parallel relation below said upper side rails, a multitude of wire-like nonstretchable strands tensioned across the tops of, and spaced between, the upper side rails in closely uniformly-spaced parallel relation to each other transversely to the longitudinal axis of said elongated rectangular frame from end-to-end thereof, said strands extending around said upper side rails and downwardly, and around and under said lower side rails having their extremities extending toward each other in a common horizontal plane terminating in materially-spaced relation to each other at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of said frame between said lower frame rails, an elastic member under tension connected to the opposite extremities of each of said strands for individually tensioning each strand around said lower and upper side rails and across the space between the upper rails, an extensible jacket of braided fabric encasing said elastic members having opposite side edges connected to the opposite extremities of said strands to form an extensible fascine for limiting the extension of said elastic members, and a thick resilient foam rubber-like rectangular pad disposed on said closely spaced strands between said upper side rails and transverse end rails having its side and end edges disposed in spaced adjacent relation to the lastmentioned rails to support an elongated body thereon.

5. An elongated body contour conforming bed-like structure as defined in claim 4 including means between said strands and said rectangular pad for yieldably retaining said strands in the space between said upper side rails in closely uniformly-spaced parallel relation.

6. An elongated body contour conforming bed-like structure comprising, an upper elongated rectangular frame including horizontally-spaced round parallel side rails and transverse parallel end rails connecting the opposite ends of upper side rails to form said rectangular frame, vertical supporting legs depending downwardly from the ends of said side and end rails for supporting said upper side rails above a supporting surface, lower round elongated side rails fixed to said upper side rails in vertically-spaced parallel relation below said upper side rails, a multitude of substantially identical wire-like nonstretchable strands tensioned across the tops of and spaced between, said upper side rails in closely-spaced parallel relation to each other, transversely to the longitudinal axis of said elongated rectangular frame, said strands extending around said upper side rails and downwardly and around and under said lower side rails and toward each other and having the extremities thereof extending toward each other in a common horizontal plane below said lower side rails, terminating in materiallyspaced relation to each other at opposite sides of the longitudinal center between the lower parallel side rails, elastic members under tension connected to the opposite extremities of said non-stretchable strands for individually tensioning said strands around said lower and upper side rails and across the space between the upper side rails, a square mesh net disposed on said strands having sufiicient width to accommodate approximately one-half of the circumference of a body to be supported by said strands, said net having a mesh width across each mesh from opposite corners substantially equal to the space between the adjacent parallel strands, with the strands each extending across the opposite corners of the mesh, said net having a central area narrower than the width between the side rails in which the parallel strands are woven through the knots of the net at the opposite corners of the mesh diagonally to the net meshes, said strands passing under the net outside of said central area with the side edges of the net fixed to the strands, whereby under load the square meshes of the net are free to work into diamond shapes for permitting limited individual longitudinal movement and separation of the parallel strands, and a soft foam rubber pad disposed over said net to add comfort to the body supported thereon by said net and said strands.

7. An elongated body contour conforming bed-like structure comprising, an upper elongated supporting frame composed of horizontally and parallelly-spaced pairs of vertically-spaced upper and lower round side rails, means for supporting said pairs of side rails in said predetermined spaced relation above a supporting surface, a multitude of fine supporting wires extending transversely across said upper side rails in parallel spaced relation to each other, between 6 to 12 strands per inch, from one end of the side rails to the other, said wires extending around said upper side rails downwardly and around said lower side rails and horizontally toward each other in said parallel relation, terminating in similar spaced relations at opposite sides of the longitudinal center between the lower side rails, an elastic member under tension connected to the opposite extremities of each of said wires, an extensible fascine enclosing all of said elastic members having opposite parallel side edges connected to the opposite extremities of the wires for limiting separation between said extremities, each wire and elastic member forming an endless loop under tension around both of said pairs of upper and lower side rails, a fishnet type fabric having approximately one-quarter inch square mesh disposed on said wires with the sides of the mesh disposed in angular relation to each wire with the wires crossing the mesh of the net-type fabric at the opposite corners thereof, said net extending across the wires having its opposite side edges disposed adjacent said upper side rails and fixed to said wires, said net having a central area narrower than the width of the supporting frame with the wires extending through the knots in the opposite corners of the meshes for permitting the wires to move under load to warp the squares of the mesh into diamond shapes to fulfill the requirement of an adequate contour conforming surface permitting limited relative movement between the wires in any direction, and an approximately one-half inch thick rectangular sheet of soft foam rubber placed over said net, supported by said net and said wires, substantially coextensive with said net for supporting an elongated body thereon in spaced relation to said net and said wires.

Austria Nov, 10, 1936 

1. A BODY CONTOUR CONFORMING STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RIGID RECTANGULAR FRAME HAVING VERTICALLYSPACED PAIRS OF PAALLEL ELONGATED ROUND SIDE FRAME MEMBERS FIXED IN HORIZONTALLY-SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO EACH OTHER, A PLURALITY OF CLOSELY-SPACED SIDE-BY-SIDE INDIVIDUAL SUBSTANTIALLY NONSTRETCHABLE STRAND MEMBERS EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOPS OF THE UPPER ROUND SIDE FRAME MEMBERS IN PARALLEL RELATION TO EACH OTHER, PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXES OF SAID UPPER ROUND SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, SUBSTANTIALLY FROM END-TO-END THEREOF, SAID STRANDS THEN EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND AROUND THE LOWER PARALLEL SIDE FRAME MEMBERS AND TOWARD EACH OTHER WITH THEIR ENDS TERMINATING IN MATERIALLY-SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ELONGATED RECTANGULAR FRAME, AN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR RESILIENT FOAM RUBBERLIKE PAD MEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID STRANDS WITH ITS SIDES AND ENDS DISPOSED IN ADJACENT PARALLEL SPACED RELATION TO THE SIDES AND ENDS OF SAID RECTANGULAR FRAME, A RECTANGULAR JACKET OF BRAIDED FABRIC DISPOSED BETWEEN THE OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES OF ALL OF SAID STRANDS AND SECURED THERETO TO LIMIT SEPARATION OF SAID EXTREMITIES UPON DOWNWARD DISPLACEMENT OF SAID STRANDS BETWEEN THE UPPER ROUND SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, AND INDIVIDUAL RUBBER-LIKE ELASTIC CONNECTING STRANDS UNDER TENSION WOVEN IN SAID KNITTED JACKET, EACH HAVING ITS OPPOSITE ENDS CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES OF EACH OF SAID NONSTRETCHABLE STRANDS FOR MAINTAINING A PREDETERMINED TENSION ON EACH OF THE NONSTRETCHABLE STRANDS BETWEEN THE UPPER ROUND SIDE FRAME MEMBERS. 